JP2006163496A - Apparatus, method and program for image recording - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable image recording by distinguishing an image nobody closes his eyes from an image somebody closes his eyes. <P>SOLUTION: In S5, an eye area detector 112c detects an eye area having eyes therein from a face portion detected by a face detector 112a. In S6, an eye open/close detector 112d decides whether the eyes in the detected eye area are open or close. If the eyes are open, the process proceeds to S7. In S7, if it is decided that the eyes are open for the entire face portions, the process proceeds to S8. In S8, an image data in a VRAM 132 are recorded into a recording medium 40 as an Exif file. At this time, a CPU 112 records information indicating a successfully photographed image in a predetermined tag (such as Imagedescription tag) of a header part of the Exif file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, an image recording method, and an image recording program, and more particularly to an apparatus, method, and program for recording an image that has been successfully photographed.

Conventionally, various techniques for recording images that have been successfully photographed have been devised. For example, according to Patent Document 1, a digital camera includes an objective lens that collects image light from a subject, an image sensor that outputs an electrical signal based on the luminance level of the subject image focused by the objective lens, and An image memory capable of storing a plurality of digitally converted image signals and a control circuit connected to the image memory are provided. The image memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, and a digital image is stored in each block. The control circuit is connected to a discrimination circuit that searches for a high frequency component included in the luminance signal of the subject image and searches for a digital image having a high frequency component equal to or higher than a certain level. The control circuit erases the digital image in which the high frequency component is determined to be less than a certain level by the discrimination circuit, and stores the image having the high frequency component equal to or higher than the certain level in the image memory.
JP 2001-358978 A

  In the technique of Patent Document 1, an image shot in a state in which camera shake occurs can be erased, but even if there is a person who is blind, if there is no camera shake, the image is recorded. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to distinguish and record an image in which no one has closed eyes and an image in which someone has closed eyes.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a face detection unit that detects a face portion from an image, an eye region detection unit that detects an eye region where an eye exists from the face portion, An eye open / close detection unit that determines whether the eye is open or closed, and an image recording unit that records an image determined to have an open eye in the eye area as a successful shooting image.

  According to the present invention, when there is no person who looks into the image, it is recorded as a successful image. For this reason, it is not necessary for the user to check each image and determine whether or not a person who has closed eyes has been recorded, and a group photo in which no one has closed eyes can be recorded as a successful shooting image.

  The camera further includes a focus determination unit that determines whether or not the face portion is in focus, and the image recording unit captures an image in which the face portion is in focus and the eyes in the eye area are determined to be open. It may be recorded as a successful image.

  In this way, it is possible to record an image that is not blurred and in focus.

  You may further provide the counting part which counts the number of eye-openings which is the number of the face parts judged that the eyes in an eye area are closed.

  You may further provide the display part which displays the number of eyes closed as a warning.

  The image recording unit may record the number of eyebrows.

  The image recording unit may record an image determined to have closed eyes in the eye area as a shooting failure image.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an image recording method according to the present invention includes a face detection step for detecting a face portion from an image, an eye region detection step for detecting an eye region where an eye exists from the face portion, An eye opening / closing detection step for determining whether the eye in the region is open or closed, and an image recording step for recording an image determined to have the eye in the eye region open as a successful photographing image.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an image recording program according to the present invention includes a face detection step for detecting a face portion from an image, an eye region detection step for detecting an eye region where an eye exists from the face portion, An eye opening / closing detection step for determining whether the eye in the region is open or closed, and an image recording step for recording an image determined to have the eye in the eye region open as a successful shooting image. Let it run.

  According to the present invention, when there is no person who looks into the image, it is recorded as a successful image. For this reason, it is not necessary for the user to check each image and determine whether or not a person who has closed eyes has been recorded, and a group photo in which no one has closed eyes can be recorded as a successful shooting image.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Schematic configuration]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a digital camera 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, in the digital camera 10 shown in FIG. 1, the central processing unit (CPU) 112 is configured to input each button in the digital camera 10 based on input from various buttons and keys of the operation unit 113 including the release switch 22, the mode dial 150, and the like. Supervises and controls the circuit. A program executed by the CPU 112 is stored in the EEPEOM 119.

  Now, when the still image shooting mode is set by the mode dial 150, the CPU 112 displays a moving image (through image) on the display unit 110 so that the shooting angle of view can be confirmed. That is, the light that has passed through the imaging lens 14 enters the solid-state imaging device 102. Photosensors are arranged in a plane on the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device 102, and the subject image formed on the light receiving surface is converted into signal charges of an amount corresponding to the amount of incident light by each photosensor. . The signal charges accumulated in this way are sequentially read out as voltage signals (image signals) corresponding to the signal charges based on pulse signals given from a driver circuit (not shown), and are respectively added to the imaging circuit 102.

  The imaging circuit 102 includes a gain adjustment circuit, and the image data converted into a digital signal through the imaging circuit 102 is sent to the image processing circuit 108 and the high-pass filter (HPF) 125, respectively. The image processing circuit 108 includes a white balance correction circuit 108b, a gamma correction circuit 108c, a YC processing circuit 108d, a luminance / color difference signal generation circuit, a sharpness correction circuit, a contrast correction circuit, and contour processing for performing image processing including contour correction for a captured image. Image processing means including a noise reduction processing unit that performs image noise reduction processing, and processes an image signal in accordance with a command from the CPU 112.

  The image data input to the image processing circuit 108 is converted into a luminance signal (Y signal) and a color difference signal (Cr, Cl signal) and subjected to predetermined processing such as gamma correction, and then stored in the VRAM 132. The

  On the other hand, the image data converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion unit 108 a of the imaging circuit 108 is extracted only by the G pixel component by the high pass filter (HPF) 125. Then, the G pixel component extracted by the integration processor 126 is integrated and sent to the CPU 112. The CPU 112 calculates an average value of four areas in the vicinity of the center of the face set arbitrarily among the 64-division image data for one screen sent from the integration processing unit 126, and calculates this as an autofocus (AF) evaluation value And The face center is set by the face detection unit 112a described later. The AF evaluation value is calculated every elapse of a predetermined period, and is updated and stored in the memory 127 each time it is calculated. As will be described later, the focus determination unit 112b, which is a program executed by the CPU 112, determines the focus of the person's face area according to the AF evaluation value.

  When the captured image is output to the display unit 110 on the monitor, the YC signal is read from the VRAM 132 and sent to the video encoder 134. The video encoder 134 converts the input YC signal into a predetermined display signal (for example, an NTSC color composite video signal) and outputs the converted signal to the display unit 110. The display unit 110 is driven via the driver 111.

  The YC signal of each frame processed at a predetermined frame rate is alternately written in the A area and B area of the VRAM 132, and the Y area other than the area where the YC signal is written out of the A area and B area of the VRAM 132. The YC signal that has been written is read out from this area. In this way, the YC signal in the VRAM 132 is periodically rewritten, and the video signal generated from the YC signal is supplied to the display unit 110, whereby the image being captured is displayed on the display unit 110 in real time. . The user can check the shooting angle of view from the video (through) displayed on the display unit 110.

  Here, when the release switch 22 is half-pressed, AE and AF processes are started. AE / AF processing is performed, and when the release switch 22 is fully pressed, a recording operation is started. Image data acquired in response to the release switch 22 being fully pressed is converted into a luminance / color difference signal (Y / C signal) by the image processing circuit 108, subjected to predetermined processing such as gamma correction, and then stored in the VRAM 132. Is done.

  The Y / C signal stored in the VRAM 132 is compressed according to a predetermined format by the compression / decompression processing circuit 144 and then recorded as an Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) file on the recording medium 40 via the media controller 146. The image is recorded in the data part of the Exif file. The CPU 112 records shooting date / time information and the like in a predetermined tag (such as an image description tag) in the header portion of the Exif file.

  The CPU 112 is also connected to a strobe control circuit 115 that controls the light emission of the strobe 18 made of a xenon tube. When still light shooting is detected as having low illuminance, or the light emission is instructed by the strobe button. In this case or when the forced light emission mode is set, the flash 18 is controlled to emit light for a short time (for example, for a short time of 1 second or more) at a timing synchronized with the timing signal generated by the timing generator 120.

  When the moving image shooting mode is set by the mode dial 150, the moving image recording operation starts in conjunction with the full pressing operation of the release switch 22, and when the release switch 22 is pressed again, the moving image recording operation is stopped. The recording operation may be performed while the release switch 22 is continuously pressed, and the recording may be stopped by releasing the pressing. The moving image data is recorded on the recording medium 40 in, for example, a motion JPEG (MPEG) format.

  When the playback mode is selected by the mode dial 150, the compressed data of the last image file (last recorded file) recorded on the recording medium 40 is read. When the file related to the last recording is a still image file, the read image compressed data is decompressed into an uncompressed YC signal via the compression / decompression processing circuit 144 and stored in the VRAM 132. The YC signal stored in the VRAM 132 is added to the video encoder 134. The video encoder 134 creates an NTSC RGB color composite video signal from the input YC signal and outputs it to the display unit 110. Thereby, the frame image of the last frame recorded on the recording medium 40 is displayed on the display unit 110.

  Thereafter, when the right key of the cross key 81 is pressed, the frame is advanced in the forward direction, and when the left key of the cross key 81 is pressed, the frame is advanced in the reverse direction. Then, the frame-positioned image file at the frame position is read from the recording medium 40, and the frame image is reproduced on the display unit 110 in the same manner as described above. If the last frame image is displayed and the frame is advanced in the forward direction, the first frame image file recorded on the recording medium 40 is read and the first frame image is displayed. Played back to the unit 110.

  The display unit 110 corresponds to an external display device connected to an LCD 114, a finder, a video output terminal, or the like built in the camera 10. The CPU 112 includes an OSD signal generation circuit, and the OSD signal generation circuit generates a signal for displaying characters such as a shutter speed, an aperture value, the number of shootable images, a shooting date / time, a warning message, and a symbol such as an icon. A signal output from the OSD signal generation circuit is mixed with an image signal as necessary and supplied to the LCD 114. As a result, a composite image in which characters, icons, and the like are combined with the through image and the playback image is displayed.

  The recording medium 40 is means for holding image data obtained by shooting, and for example, a memory card called smart media is used. The form of the recording medium is not limited to this, and it may be a PC card, a compact flash (registered trademark), a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a memory stick, etc., electronic, magnetic, optical, or a combination thereof A readable / writable medium can be used in accordance with the above-described method. A configuration in which a plurality of media can be mounted regardless of different types or the same type of recording media may be adopted. The means for storing the image file is not limited to a removable medium that can be attached to and detached from the camera body, but may be a recording medium (built-in memory) built in the camera.

  The CPU 112 is a control circuit that comprehensively controls each circuit of the camera 10, and includes a release switch 22, a cross key 81, a power switch 82, a mode dial 150, an information position designation key 83 or a not-shown strobe button, zoom key, menu / execution button. Based on signals received from the operation unit 113 including others, the operation of the corresponding circuit is controlled, and display control, strobe light emission control, autofocus (AF) control, automatic exposure (AE) control, and the like are performed on the display unit 110. .

  Each time the power supply of the camera 10 is turned on by the power switch 82, power is supplied to each circuit of the digital camera 10 from the main power supply 164 formed of a battery mounted inside the camera body.

  Image data from the image processing circuit 108 is also sent to the photometric processing unit 157. The photometric processing unit 157 is an example of a unit that measures the amount of external light. The photometric processing unit 157 calculates a photometric value (EV value) of subject luminance based on each input image data and the charge accumulation time of the solid-state imaging device 102, that is, the shutter time of the electronic shutter. Can be configured. Thereby, the drive of the solid-state image sensor 102 is adjusted. The aperture value may be changed with the shutter time of the electronic shutter. When changing the aperture value, the photometric value corresponding to the subject brightness is calculated with the aperture value taken into account. As described above, the photometry processing unit 157 detects the brightness of the subject (subject brightness) by the TTL (Through The Lens) photometry method using the solid-state imaging device 102 as a light receiving sensor. The photometric processing unit 157 may be a photometric sensor composed of a phototransistor, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a means capable of photometry.

  FIG. 2 shows a program executed by the CPU 112 in a block diagram. The CPU 112 executes a face detection unit 112a, a focus determination unit 112b, an eye region detection unit 112c, and an eye open / close detection unit 112d, which are programs. The face detection unit 112a, the focus determination unit 112b, the eye region detection unit 112c, and the eye open / close detection unit 112d are stored in the EEPROM 119, and are appropriately read by the CPU 112 to the memory 127 and executed.

  The face detection unit 112a detects a human face portion from a captured image using a known face recognition technique. When a plurality of persons are recorded in the captured image, a plurality of face portions are individually detected. The focus determination unit 112b determines whether or not the face portion detected based on the AF evaluation value is in focus. The determination method is arbitrary. For example, it is determined whether or not the AF evaluation value has substantially reached the vicinity of the maximum point. If the AF evaluation value has substantially reached the maximum point, the AF evaluation value is determined to be in focus. In this case, it is determined that the subject is not in focus. Alternatively, if the AF evaluation value exceeds a predetermined threshold, it can be determined that the subject is in focus.

  The eye area detection unit 112c detects an eye area in which an eye exists from the face portion detected by the face detection unit 112a. The eye region can be detected from the relative positional relationship of the approximate face center position obtained as a result of face detection. The eye opening / closing detection unit 112d determines whether the eyes in the eye region are open or closed. The method for determining whether to open or close the eyes is not particularly limited. For example, the eye opening / closing detection unit 112d detects the number of vertical black pixels in the eye area. Then, based on the number of vertical black pixels in the eye area, it is determined whether or not the eyes are closed.

[Process flow]
The flow of image recording processing executed by the CPU 112 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this process, among the images stored in the VRAM 132, an image in which no person is blind is recorded on the recording medium 40 as a successful image.

  In S1, the image data stored in the VRAM 132 is read, and in S2, the face detection unit 112a detects each face portion from this image data.

  In S3, the face detection unit 112a determines the center of one detected face portion as the center of the face, and the focus determination unit 112b calculates an average value of four areas near the set face center, and this is used for AF evaluation. Value.

  In S4, the focus determination unit 112b determines whether or not the face portion is focused based on the calculated AF evaluation value. If it is in focus, the process proceeds to S5. If it is not focused, the process proceeds to S9. If it is not determined whether the shooting is successful or unsuccessful based on the presence or absence of focus, the determination in S4 may be omitted, and the process may proceed from S3 to S5.

  In S5, the eye area detection unit 112c detects an eye area in which an eye exists from the face portion detected by the face detection unit 112a.

  In S6, the eye opening / closing detection unit 112d determines whether the eyes in the detected eye area are open or closed. If the eyes are open, the process proceeds to S7, and if the eyes are closed, the process proceeds to S9.

  In S7, it is determined whether or not the processes in S2 to S6 have been executed for all the face portions detected from the image data. If the above processing is executed for all the face portions, and it is determined that the eyes are open for all the face portions, the process proceeds to S8, and if there is a face portion for which the above processing is not executed, S2 is performed. Returning to step S2, the processes in S2 to S6 are executed for the face portion. In addition, when repeating the process of S2-S6, you may count the number of eye-openings which is the total number of face parts with closed eyes.

  In S8, the image data in the VRAM 132 is recorded on the recording medium 40 as an Exif file. At this time, the CPU 112 records information indicating that the image is a successful shooting image in a predetermined tag (such as an image description tag) in the header portion of the Exif file. In S8, the display unit 110 may display that the image has been successfully captured.

  In S9, the image data in the VRAM 132 is recorded on the recording medium 40 as an Exif file. At this time, the CPU 112 records information indicating that the image has failed in a predetermined tag (such as an image description tag) in the header portion of the Exif file. The number of eyes closed may be recorded on a predetermined tag.

  In S <b> 9, a warning indicating that the image has failed and the number of eyebrows may be displayed on the display unit 110. Alternatively, in S9, an instruction as to whether or not to record a shooting failure image is received from the operation unit 113, and when recording is instructed, the image data in the VRAM 132 is recorded as an Exif file on the recording medium 40 and is not recorded. May be deleted, the image data in the VRAM 132 may be deleted. Also, the mode setting for determining whether or not to execute S2 to S7 of the image recording process is specified from the operation unit 113. When the mode not to be executed is not specified, the image data in the VRAM 132 is unconditionally recorded as an Exif file. May be recorded.

  As described above, the digital camera 10 according to the present invention records a successful image when there is no person who has looked at the image. For this reason, it is not necessary for the user to check each image and determine whether or not a person who has closed his eyes has been recorded. It can be recorded separately from the group photo (shooting failure image).

Block diagram of digital camera The block diagram which shows the program which CPU executes Flow chart showing the flow of image recording processing

Explanation of symbols

112: CPU, 112a: face detection unit, 112b: focus determination unit, 112c: eye area detection unit, 112d: eye open / close detection unit

Claims (8)

A face detection unit for detecting a face part from an image;
An eye area detection unit for detecting an eye area where eyes are present from the face part;
An eye opening / closing detection unit for determining whether the eye in the eye region is open or closed;
An image recording unit that records an image determined to have an open eye in the eye area as a successful shooting image;
An image recording apparatus comprising: A focus determination unit for determining whether or not the face portion is in focus;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording unit records an image that is determined that the face portion is in focus and the eyes in the eye area are open as a successful shooting image.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a counting unit that counts the number of eyebrows, which is the number of face portions that are determined to have closed eyes in the eye region.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a display unit that displays a warning on the number of eyebrows.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image recording unit records the number of eyebrows.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording unit records an image determined to have closed eyes in the eye area as a photographing failure image. A face detection step for detecting a face portion from the image;
An eye area detecting step for detecting an eye area where eyes are present from the face part;
Eye opening / closing detection step for determining whether the eye in the eye region is open or closed;
An image recording step of recording an image determined to have an open eye in the eye area as a successful shooting image;
An image recording method comprising: A face detection step for detecting a face portion from the image;
An eye area detecting step for detecting an eye area where eyes are present from the face part;
Eye opening / closing detection step for determining whether the eye in the eye region is open or closed;
An image recording step of recording an image determined to have an open eye in the eye area as a successful shooting image;
Is an image recording program for causing a computer to execute.

Images